Apparatus for continuous predrying, smoking, boiling and cooling of edibles, particularly sausages



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ATTORNEYS.

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United States Patent 8 Claims. c1. aa zs0 This application is acontinuation of my copending application Serial No. 33,150 filed June 1,1960, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to apparatus for continu ously predrying,smoking, steam cooking or boiling and cooling of edibles, particularlysausages, wherein the edibles are supported from parallel endless chainsand are successively subjected to said processes during passage througha vertically elongated casing.

The casing is divided by partition into different compartments soarranged that the different gases are not intermixed during the varioustreatments. For example, steam, smoke or water will not have access to acompartment wherein its presence would have an adverse effect, adisadvantage encountered in similar systems of conventionalconstruction.

The drawing shows one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side view in sectional elevation of anembodiment of the apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is a front View in sectional elevation taken along the line A-Aof FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front view in sectional elevational taken along the lineBB of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG 3..

FIGURE 5 is a plan sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 3.

The foodstuffs or edible articles are supported on rods (not shown)which are positioned in and withdrawn from the casing 1 through anaccess opening 2 with the rod extending removably between two parallelendless conveyor chains 3. The chains 3 move vertically upwardly pastthe access opening 2 and a fan a is shown blowing dry hot air on thearticles. Fan 4 may be omitted, if desired. The articles, carried by thechains 3, will now, in succession, pass the pairs of sprockets, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. From the pair of sprockets 5 to pair 12 thearticles are smoked by smoke which enters through a smoke inlet opening15 close to the bottom of the casing 1, the smoke being produced by asuitable generator (not shown). A heater 16 is located at the bottom ofthe smoking compartment. It is also possible to locate the heater 16further up in the smoking compartment to obtain a different temperaturedistribution pattern during the smoking process.

The smoke is confined so that it is forced to pass over the articles bymeans of vertical partition walls 17 and 18, which in part define thesmoking compartment, before the smoke is drawn outwardly through thesmoke duct 19. Close to the heater 16 there is positioned an uprightpartition Wall 20 which prevents the loss of heat.

From the sprockets 12 the articles are conveyed up- Wardly into a steamcooking compartment 21 closed at its top and open at the bottom. Thecooking compartment 21 is thermally insulated above the access opening2. A

' steam inlet tube 22 extends into the cooking compartment 21 andsupplies steam or other suitable hot moisture- The tube 22 is sopositioned that the heat will be evenly distributed in the cookingcompartment 21 Without steam escaping at the bottom.

After the articles have passed through the cooking compartment 21, theyare sprayed with cold] water issuing laterally from nozzles in anupright tube 24 positioned on a wall 23 which together with the walls ofthe casing 1 define a cooling compartment which opens downwardly. Moistand comparatively cold air will collect in this compartment. Due to thedownward extension of one side of the cooking compartment 21 at 25, anair trap is formed whichwill prevent undesired circulation through theapparatus. At the bottom of the partition Wall 23 there is a drainincluding a water trap 27 collecting cooling water and condensed steamfrom the boiling compartment. The front wall of the casing 1 is shownprovided with an additional cooling device, such as a cooling element 26which may be a cold water spray.

When the articles return to the entry and withdrawal zone behind theaccess opening 2, they are completely processed and may be removed fromthe chain conveyor.

The conveyor chains 3 are driven by a motor 28 with control means foradjusting the speed of the chains in accordance with the type ofarticles to be treated. As the chains will expand when heated, the shaftwhich carries the sprockets 14 is guided for free vertical movement.

The ends of the shaft protrude exteriorly of the casing 1 at oppositesides thereof and carry weights 29 which maintain the conveyor chains 3under constant tension.

The smoking compartment, boiling compartment and i the coolingcompartment are so dimensioned in relation to each other that the timeof passage of the articles through each of the diiferent processingcompartments will be correct. Since the ratios between preheating,smoking, boiling and cooling for different edible articles issubstantially the same, it will merely be necessary to adjust the speedof theconveyor chains 3 to the treatment of any particular type offoodstuff.

As compared with prior methods, the present apparatus will save 50percent of labor, approximately 50 percent heat energy, and the productswill be of -a more uniform quality and be better processed than withconventional systems. As: previously stated, no smoke or steam willescape from the'apparatus at the access opening 2.

The taller the dimensioning of the apparatus, the better it willoperate. This factor is also of importance because of the reducedhorizontal space required.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be the bestembodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously predrying, smoking, steam cooking andcooling sausages or the like, comprising: a vertically elongatedsubstantially closed casing, a plurality of partitions dividing saidcasing into vertically elongated compartments comprising an accesscompartment, said casinghaving a continuously open opening formedtherein at one side thereof communicating directly with said accesscompartment, a drying compartment directly above said accesscompartment, a smoking compartment, a steam cooking compartment closedat its top and open at its bottom, and a cooling and washing compartmentdirectly below said access compartment, said cooling and washingcompartment being open at its top and substantially closed at itsbottom, adjacent ones of said compartments intercommunicating with eachother through relatively small passageways to minimize mixing of gasesbetween adjacent compartments, a continuous endless conveyor for holdingsaid sausages or the like passing through all of said compartments,means for drir'ling said conveyor to cause said sausages or the like topass at constant speed through said compartments in the order namedabove, said conveyor passing through said access compartment inproximity to said opening for loading said sausages or the like on saidconveyor and removing the same therefrom after treatment, means forguiding said conveyor upwardly and then downwardly through said dryingcompartment, said drying compartment communicating directly with theupper end of said access compartment, means for supplying hot dry air tosaid drying compartment, means guiding said conveyor next through saidsmoking compartment, means for supplying gases to Said smokingcompartment for smoke treatment of said sausages or the like, saiddrying compartment cornmunicating with said smoking compartment throughone of said passageways near the top of said casing, a smoke outlet atthe top of said drying compartment for simultaneously venting said hotair and said gases whereby said hot air is prevented from entering saidsmoking compartment, means guiding said conveyor up into and then downfrom said steam cooking compartment, means for supplying steam to saidsteam cooking compartment at a rate which maintains said cookingcompartment filled without downward flow of excess steam, said steamcooking compartment communicating with said smoking compartment adjacentto the lower ends of both compartments and below the level of saidopening and communicating with said cooling and washing compartmentabove the bottom thereof, means guiding said conveyor through saidcooling and washing compartment, and means for injecting a water sprayinto said cooling and washing compartment, said steam cookingcompartment communicating with said cooling and washing compartment atthe lower end portions of both compartments, said cooling and washingcompartment communicating directly with the lower end of said accesscompartment.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising gravity actuatedtensioning means maintaining said conveyor under a predeterminedconstant tension.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising drainage meanscommunicating with the bottom of said cooling and washing compartment.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said partitions extendvertically and end portions of certain ones of said partitions arespaced from and overlie cooperating end portions of others of saidpartitions to define said passageways.

5. Apparatus for continuously predrying, smoking, cooking and coolingedibles which comprises a vertically elongated casing of rectangularcross-section having an access opening formed in one vertical wallthereof; partition means defining with said one Wall of said casing avertically elongated heating compartment extending upwardly from the topof said access opening and a vertically elongated cooling and Washingcompartment extending downwardly from the bottom of said access opening,said partition means defining together with a wall of said casingopposite said one wall, a vertically elongated smoking compartment; anexhaust vent at the top of said drying compartment; means defining afirst passage leading downwardly from the upper portion of said smokingcompartment through said partition means to a location in said heatingcompartment above the top of said access opening and below said exhaustvent; said partition means further defining a vertically elongated steamcooking chamber closed at its top and open at its bottom; means defininga second passage leading from the lower portion of said smokingcompartment through said partition means to a location in said steamcooking compartment intermediate the ends thereof; means defining athird passage leading from the lower portion of said steam cookingcompartment through said partition means to a location in said coolingand washing compartment intermediate the ends thereof; a smoke inlet forsupplying smoke to the bottom portion of said smoking compartment, saidsmoke being exhausted through said first passage and said exhaust vent;means in said heating compartment for heating the air therein to rise byconvection and be exhausted through said exhaust vent along with saidsmoke; means for introducing steam intermediate the ends of said steamcooking compartment at a rate sufiicient for continuously maintainingsaid cooking compartment filled with steam yet avoiding the discharge ofexcess steam from the bottom of said cooking compartment; means forintroducing cooling and washing water above the bottom of said coolingand washing compartment; drain means at the bottom of said cooling andWashing compartment; endless conveyor means for transporting saidedibles upwardly from said access opening through said heatingcompartment, thence through said first passage into said smokingcompartment, thence downwardly through said smoking compartment, thencethrough said second passage into said steam cooking compartment, thenceupwardly and then downwardly through said steam cooking compartment,thence through said third passage into said cooling and washingcompartment and thence upwardly through said cooling and washingcompartment back to said access opening; and motor means for drivingsaid conveyor means at a selected constant velocity.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said conveyor has aplurality of sinuous paths of travel in said smoking compartment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said casing has a heightgreater than either of its horizontal dimensions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said compartments haveheights greater than their horizontal depths.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,205 10/1918Garza 107-57 1,345,079 6/1920 Fisch 107-57 X 1,402,204 1/1922 Alsop99-261 X 1,434,036 10/1922 Ballard 107 57 1,483,668 2/1924 Little 99-261X 1,891,873 12/1932 Elbe 99260 2,138,813 l2/1938 Bemis 99260X 2,566,9669/1961 Rockoff 99-261 2,973,277 2/1961 Barnett 99-260 X 3,073,236 1/1963Blaschek 99-260 X FOREIGN PATENTS 893,436 10/1953 Germany.

1,020,854 12/1957 Germany.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PREDRYING, SMOKING, STEAM COOKING ANDCOOLING SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A VERTICALLY ELONGATEDSUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CASING, A PLURALITY OF PARTITIONS DIVIDING SAIDCASING INTO VERTICALLY ELONGATED COMPARTMENTS COMPRISING AN ACCESSCOMPARTMENT, SAID CASING HAVING AN CONTINUOUSLY OPEN OPENING FORMEDTHEREIN AT ONE SIDE THEREOF COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH SAID ACCESSCOMPARTMENT, A DRYING COMPARTMENT DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID ACCESSCOMPARTMENT, A SMOKING COMPARTMENT, A STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT CLOSEDAT ITS TOP AND OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM, AND A COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENTDIRECTLY BELOW SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, SAID COOLING AND WASHINGCOMPARTMENT BEING OPEN AT ITS TOP AND SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED AT ITSBOTTOM, ADJACENT ONES OF SAID COMPARTMENTS INTERCOMMUNICATING WITH EACHOTHER THROUGH RELATIVELY SMALL PASSAGEWAYS TO MINIMIZE MIXING OF GASESBETWEEN ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS, A CONTINUOUS ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR HOLDINGSAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE PASSING THROUGH ALL OF SAID COMPARTMENTS,MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR TO CAUSE SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE TOPASS AT CONSTANT SPEED THROUGH SAID COMPARTMENTS IN THE ORDER NAMEDABOVE, SAID CONVEYOR PASSING THROUGH SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT INPROXIMITY TO SAID OPENING FOR LOADING SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE ON SAIDCONVEYOR AND REMOVING THE SAME THEREFORM AFTER TREATMENT, MEANS FORGUIDING SAID CONVEYOR UPWARDLY AND THEN DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID DRYINGCOMPARTMENT, SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THEUPPER END OF SAID ACCESS COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HOT DRY AIR TOSAID DRYING COMPARTMENT, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR NEXT THROUGH SAIDSMOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GASES TO SAID SMOKINGCOMPARTMENT FOR SMOKE TREATMENT OF SAID SAUSAGES OR THE LIKE, SAIDDRYING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT THROUGHONE OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS NEAR THE TOP OF SAID CASING, A SMOKE OUTLET ATTHE TOP OF SAID DRYING COMPARTMENT FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY VENTING SAID HOTAIR AND SAID GASES WHEREBY SAID HOT AIR IS PREVENTED FROM ENTERING SAIDSMOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR UP INTO AND THEN DOWNFROM SAID STEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM TO SAIDSTEAM COOKING COMPARTMENT AT A RATE WHICH MAINTAINS SAID COOKINGCOMPARTMENT FILLED WITHOUT DOWNWARD FLOW OF EXCESS STEAM, SAID STEAMCOOKING COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SMOKING COMPARTMENT ADJACENTTO THE LOWER ENDS OF BOTH COMPARTMENTS AND BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAIDOPENING AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENTABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEANS GUIDING SAID CONVEYOR THROUGH SAIDCOOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT, AND MEANS FOR INJECTING A WATER SPRAYINTO SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT, SAID STEAM COOKINGCOMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COOLING AND WASHING COMPARTMENT ATTHE LOWER END PORTIONS OF BOTH COMPARTMENTS, SAID COOLING AND WASHINGCOMPARTMENT COMMUNUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID ACCESSCOMPARTMENT.